Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-11-15

uetSbt6u tRCttou 1ESG6B Cali |
for convention, to be hold at Aberdeen |
on the 18th of December, to petition |
congress- to pass an enabling act for the
admission OF Dakota as one state. This |
call goes TO the public without sigma
ture, specifics that the convention shall
be composed of 907 men bers and sppor-
tions this representation among the sew
eral counties of Dakota. 1t is the un-
authorized ediot of minority faction
still struggling against the voice OF the
great majority and endeavoring TO dis
tract the congressional mind and keep
alive the threadbare assertion that the
people of Dakota do not know what
they want. 1t will not be difficult to
secure the attendance of 907 out of q
population OF 600 600 who will assert to
congress that Dakota desires to be adj
mitted as one state They will assert
this In the face OF the contrary vote of
the thousands, who declare that Dakota
does not want to be admitted as one
state.
That the call for this convention has
beer put forth hastily and without pre-
meditation is evident from Its unheraId
ed snd unexpected appearance.
Inat there is q motive behind its sudden
PRONUNCIATION is fhe first suspicion. And
such suspicion finds confirmation in the
circumstances surrounding the case. BY
q strained construction of the law under
| which the division election was held the
governor can delay his proclamation OF
the result, and his oertifcation of the re-
suit to the president and to congress,
until the last days Of December. By
that time congress will have taken it's
holiday reoees and its ears will be closed
to the voice of the Dakota ballot until it
re.assembles in January. But the petit
tion of the faetionsl convention of De-
cember 15sh will reach that body before
It's recess, or at leaet month before 1T
officially receives the result of the elec-
tion of November 9Th. Thus the minority
will secure the tirss presentation of its
case end the effect OF the election will
bs to considerable extent nentralizsd
by prompt action on the part of those
who seek to suhyert the will OF the peo-
pie. 1t is trick OF the minority, re-
sorted to in the desperation Of over
whelming defeat
| Under our republican form OF govern
ment it is settled and irreyocabIe
principle that maiorities rale. This is
an absolute necetsity and rigid adher-.
ence to this principle is the life OF the
J nation. ltis bat few years since o
greet party surrendered it's authority
after quarter OF century of unIn.
serrupted power. because majority of a
meegre Thousand in single state was
cast against that party. 1t surrendered
willingly and peacefully. with
even 80 slight turn OF
the scale in favor of its opponent, be-
cause it recognized the right OF the ma.
lority to dethrone the minority. 1t did
not call convention OF party delegates
to protest against the decision of the
ballot box and thus create dissension and
strife. But here, in an outlying province
of the nation, under a majority dozen
times as great as that which overturned
the national republican party, We find :
defeated faction conspiring to protest
against the decisicn OF the ballot box anG
under fictitious showing to prejudice
the tribunal to which the appeal of the
majority is addressed. These anonymous
convention conepirators might be ex.
pected to dodge the responsibility of SO
grave an offenae against universal GUS
tom. 1t is not surprising that they hide
their acts behind no name call.
In this ca:l they (whoevsr they may
be) say:
Believing that tie time has arrived
, when the claims OF Dakota to statehood
: should be presented to congress in 0
a dignlhed, proper and respectful man
ner-
1t will hardly be conceded that there
Gan be anything more dignified, proper
Of respectful than the appeal just made
through the ballot box or anything
more conclusive than the result attained
The Legislative enactment under which
the election was called rec,tes--
II has become evident that in justio.
and fairness to all the people, and in th,
interest of harmony and good will among
: all sections of the territory of Dakota
a aud in support OF the just and earnes
demand of many citizens for division ant
statehood, the question Of division O
. the territory should be submitted to
vote of the people at the earliest pos
9 sible day.
= Under this preamble, the official ut
: terance of q legislative body, duly signe,
by the governor, the election was bel,
9 and ITS outcome is majority SO larg
!. :. that il cannot be questioned in favor @
! the division OF Dakota. Was not that
"digni6ed, proper and respectful" pre-
d sentation of the case? And can any
: thing which may occur in the propose
convention OF malcontents at Aberdee
y be more" dignifed ,spropsr and respeo,
It fup?
-; iStTA Coal MJNE7